On the environmental stability of quantum chaotic ratchets

TL;DR

This paper investigates how quantum chaotic ratchets behave under different driving forces and thermal environments, revealing their stability and current dependence on chaos structure and temperature effects.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the environmental stability and current generation mechanisms of quantum chaotic ratchets under various forcing regimes.

Findings

Current depends on chaotic region structure at weak forcing

Thermal fluctuations quickly stabilize the ratchet

Strong forcing current shaped by chaotic attractor

Abstract

The transitory and stationary behavior of a quantum chaotic ratchet consisting of a biharmonic potential under the effect of different drivings in contact with a thermal environment is studied. For weak forcing and finite $\hbar$, we identify a strong dependence of the current on the structure of the chaotic region. Moreover, we have determined the robustness of the current against thermal fluctuations in the very weak coupling regime. In the case of strong forcing, the current is determined by the shape of a chaotic attractor. In both cases the temperature quickly stabilizes the ratchet, but in the latter it also destroys the asymmetry responsible for the current generation. Finally, applications to isomerization reactions are discussed.